2017 has been one of the most incredible years for small-budget films that touched the hearts of people from across the nation and the globe. None of these films relied on ‘star power’ to pull audiences in to the theatres to become a box office success.
It was solely on the basis on their content that these films were nominated under the first edition of News18 Reel Movie Awards held on Tuesday in Mumbai — including Lipstick Under My Burkha, A Death In The Gunj, Mukti Bhawan, Newton, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Hindi Medium among others— which had some of the best talents in Hindi cinema carrying the film on their shoulders, and being directed and produced by young, adept individuals. And these films, with the kind of stories that they had, went straight to the hearts and souls of audiences and made their mark.
One such film that deserves all the appreciation and success it has recently got, is Secret Superstar.
A story about a little girl’s dreams and passion to become a playback singer despite knowing that her orthodox father would never allow her the same, and how she anonymously posts videos on YouTube sporting a burkha just so that she can live her dream, is heart-warming.
And while each character in the film was crucial to the script, Meher Vij, who played the role of lead Zaira Wasim’s mother in the movie, was one of the strongest pillars on which the film rested.
The lovely chemistry between the mother-daughter (Zaira and Meher) duo and Meher’s fabulous acting skills and beyond compare performance as Najma in the film, is worth all the praises that has been since coming her way.
Meher, who won the Best Supporting Actress award for the film at the first edition of News18 Reel Movie Awards — an award show that looks at celebrating and honouring new-age, content-driven cinema, said in an exclusive post-show interaction with News18.com, “I am feeling really grateful and happy that I have been given this award. I am going to relish this because this award is different."
“The awards are different on the basis of voting and jury and I am thankful that they thought that I deserve this award," added an ecstatic Meher.
Speaking about getting into the skin of the role of Najma, a battered wife, and a protective, loving mother, Meher said, “I start thinking about that person’s day-to-day routine or what that person might be feeling or going through in his/her life. That’s how it works for me. In Secret Superstar, I felt that the husband may be even sexually assaulting her in the room. So, as far as the character is concerned, such thoughts also you have to keep in your subconscious mind, and these small thoughts help you prepare the character."
Talking about what she looks at in a script when she decides on doing a film, Meher told News18.com, “The script should speak to me. It’s just a very instinctive decision, I don’t look for anything. There’s no hard and fast rule or protocol that I follow."
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